Heiress lights up Hove with a new track record

Proper Heiress headlines spectacular Gold Collar opening round

The Gold Collar has always been a special competition, especially for those (like me) who cut their teeth in the sport at Catford. It finished at Crayford with a track record breaking performance from Aayamza Sydney, opening in its new home of Hove with a track record success from Proper Heiress. 

It has been a competition for track records since it left Catford. Six times in 16 editions the track record has been broken or equalled in the final itself, starting with the spectacular Roxholme Girl in the first year the competition was run at Belle Vue.

The 2025 competition started with a bang. Derby champion Droopys Plunge equalled the 28.69 clock set by Candolim Monsoon to lay down an immediate marker for Patrick Janssens who would top and tail the heats with Romeo Tomcat who went three spots under the 'old' clock himself with a stunning 28.66 run.

Heat four saw Proper Heiress in action as he bids to hold all four-bend Category One titles available to him at Hove at the same time after wins in the Olympic last December and the Sussex Cup in August. Even by his own high standards, it was a breathtaking run, putting more than 12 lengths into his rivals, taking a length and a half off the track record. 

Maxine Locke picked up a pair of heat winners. Headford Dane added to his already impressive record this year with another success while Ballymac Blanco added his name to the winners list. The other heat went to Richard Rees's Texas Jack, fresh off his run to the Kent Derby final.

On the undercard, there was a return to winning ways for Ballinakill Liam for Wallis. Jason Heath picked up the other sprint contest with Burrows Storm, Seamus Cahill took the puppies race with Cloheena Boyce while Patrick Browne and Carl Gardiner picked up winners courtesy of Annadown Zara and Droopys Prospect.

Aero Najem goes quickest in KAB Puppy Collar semis

450m at Oxford is suiting Aero Najem perfectly, adding to her opening round win with the quickest performance in the semi-finals of the KAB Puppy Collar for Richie Taberner. She was behind Scooby Diamond when they clashed in the final of the Coral Romford Puppy Cup last month but turned the form around, clocking 26.63.

Outa The Clouds was beaten at short odds last week but he made no mistake at the traps this time to take the opening semi for Mike Burton in 26.72. He is the youngest of the six finalists, representing Droopys Flytline who has made a solid start to life as a stud dog.

Kevin Hutton's Ollie The Ox has been mentioned plenty in despatches for one so young, and the 39-kilo behemoth added to his winning tally with a 26.85 performance. He had to work hard to pick up Jacktavern Don, suggesting again that he is going to be a much better dog next year.

Hutton added to the winners on the undercard with Deelish Top Boy in the opening race and the win machine Start The Engine who added a 16th win from 18 career starts. It was nice to see Yahoo Maizy back to winning ways for Maxine Locke in a 450m contest in a decent 26.78. The 2024 bet365 Puppy Oaks winner is a class act.

Brigadir Brindle was an impressive scorer over six bends for David Mullins, Newinn Ginger took well to the track at the first time of asking for Patrick Browne, also in a six-bend contest with Swift Magnison for Nick Deas landing the other open on the card.

Bullet lives up to his name at Star Pelaw

Quickest over 435m at Star Pelaw on Sunday night was the veteran Westfield Bullet. His 25.44 puts him into the top 10 times for the year over the distance, impressive for a dog who turned four in June and one who finds this trip far enough for him. He was making it a double for the Jason Smith kennel after Bombay Puzzle picked up a 435m maiden earlier on in the evening.

Another trainer to pick up a pair of winners was Glenn Foot. Dreamin Porscha was touched off in the final of the Rose Bowl last week but was quickly back on the winning trail with a 25.69 success. Latin Rose continued her rapid progression up the sprinting ranks with a smart 14.50 to kick off the double.

Killieford Goram was an impressive winner for Dean Blackbird in a 590m contest, stopping the clock in 35.84, just outside of the top 10 times this year. Tom Heilbron landed the other six-bend contest with Sunnyside Nellie with Hardwick Teddy taking the eight-bend race for Stephen Caile. 

Colin Watson was on the scoresheet capable of Chippy Chase who looked to appreciate both the return to Pelaw and to sprinting. Blackstone Senna was the first open race winner in the career of Carol Murray, with the other open on the card going to Samantha Atkinson's Caseys Dylan.

Romeo double at Sheffield for Hodson

Just three opens (invitationals) at Sheffield but it was still plenty for Kelly Hodson to notch a double. Both Romeo Force and Romeo Cobra made the semis of the BresBet Steel City Cup earlier in the month, finding more winnable opportunities in these one-off contests in nearly identical times.

Rose Draper picked up the other race with Ballintee Roxy. A 15.67 sprint performance will have opened a few eyes, producing the quickest of the year so far. She had only run over four bends prior to a drop to a D1 race last week. Sprinting clearly suits her well.

Upcoming Opens

Monday: Nottingham

Tuesday: Swindon

Friday: Romford

Saturday: Central Park